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Interpreting figures
AN OFFSHOOT of mathematics, statistics has evolved as a very diverse field applicable to almost all areas like economics, psychology, sociology, management etc .It has emerged as a definitive tool to determine economic growth, population explosion, test products of quality control and other diverse subjects as which afternoon soap is the most popular and preferred!
Statistics can be called a science of learning from data. It makes use of mathematical tools to understand patterns, relations, and functions.
It represents, analyses and generalises data relating to a particular subject using tables and graphs. Statistics isa divergent area of application, used in almost every field ranging from science to arts, engineering to social sciences.Statisticians have wide career options. Demography,health sector, financial institutions, econometrics, psychology, and scientific research-- they have made their presence felt in all these areas.
Qualities of a statistician
Good analytical and reasoning ability
A genuine interest in mathematical apprise
A scientific temper
An aptitude for mathematics
Ability to work hard and practice for long hours
Capable of conducting research
Organised and methodical in all undertakings
Most universities in the country offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in statistics. The Indian Statistical Institute offers both- a graduate and a postgraduate degree. The University of Calcutta offers a one-year diploma in Health Statistics.
Careers for statisticians
Statisticians help determine the sampling and data collection methods, monitor the implementation of the study and the processing of data, and advise on the strengths and limitations of the results. Employment avenues exist with the civil services, and with specialised departments of financial institutions like RBI, NABARD, and SIDBI. Statisticians also find opportunities in agricultural demography and consumer research. Research groups sponsored by research councils also employ them.
There is a specialised Documentation Research and Training Centre in Bangalore, which employs professional statisticians. Or you may go the traditional way and opt for teaching or academic research.
Medicine - Statisticians work with medical teams to design experiments and to analyse the complex data they produce. Bioinfomatics is one field where their work is much in demand.
Environment - Statisticians study the location of plants and animals, spread of pollution (its sources, and the effect on human activities) etc. As this kind of information is often incomplete or uncertain, it is the statistician who helps codify them and uncover their meaning.
Industry - Improvised techniques used in industry are based on statistics. Statistical methods are used to determine the wide acceptance of a particular technique. For instance, the control limits on process control charts, used to maintain stability in manufacturing processes, are calculated statistically. Understanding how process improvement and inspection techniques work, and how data-based decisions are made, requires sound knowledge of statistics. Actuarial science is another area of work
Market Research - Statisticians design the elaborate surveys that gather data for both public and private use. These surveys can relate to anything from viewership of television programmes to use of a company's products, consumer goods etc. Market researchers use both government data and their own surveys to answer questions like these.
Government Surveys - These surveys are conducted to aid in the development of public policy and social programmes. The number of unemployed, export and import rates, increasing or decreasing crime rates, literacy rates, the national census etc are the areas of interest in these kind of surveys. Demography and population studies are another important area of work. The government collects the data and the statistical agencies run by them provide interpretation in the form of surveys using statistical techniques.
Statisticians are employed by a number of government organisations such as the Planning Commission, and government funded agencies such as the NCAER, the IAMR, the ICMR as well as other central and state government offices, statistical and economic bureaus, institutions associated with socio-economic research, banks and various public sector undertakings. The Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) recruit statistical investigators to process statistical data. The posts they hold include those of research officers, research assistants, investigators and technical assistants.
SRIVIDYA R
srividya.hyd@cnkonline.com
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